An operation to smuggle more than £80m in cocaine was disrupted after a lorry driver stopped for a cup of tea in Northampton in November 2021. The driver noticed his container had been broken into, leading to a police discovery of 780kg (120st) of cocaine.
Specialist Metropolitan Police officers spent two years investigating the incident, which involved three individuals who had planned the heist for a month. Craig Le-Mare, 36, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and sentenced to 20 years in jail this week. Judge Richard Marks KC stated Le-Mare played a significant role in the operation.
Kelly Robertson, 46, and Michael Weston, 57, had previously pleaded guilty to the same charges. Robertson was sentenced to 15 years in November 2024, and Weston received a sentence of 12 years and nine months in May this year.
Det Insp Dean Grafton, who led the Met's investigation, described it as "an intricately planned operation, where the defendants hoped to make millions by selling cocaine across the UK." Assistant Chief Constable Emma James of Northamptonshire Police noted that the swift response by officers helped secure crucial evidence.